Shyamalan’s The Last Airbender Coming July 2, 2010

Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies have greenlit the live-action epic adventure M. Night Shyamalan’s The Last Airbender, which will launch over the Independence Day weekend in 2010, opening on Friday, July 2, 2010.

Shyamalan, the visionary creator of the Oscar®-nominated The Sixth Sense, Signs and the upcoming The Happening, will direct and produce the epic action-adventure based on a script that he penned.

“I was drawn to the series because of its influences: one being Hayao Miyazaki, said Shyamalan. “I’ve always been a huge fan of Miyazaki’s work. He is one of the greatest storytellers in the world and makes anime films in Japan. His combination of spirituality and super natural elements have brought depth and meaning to his art form. In ‘The Last Airbender,’ I see an opportunity to make a live-action version of a Miyazaki film.”

“We’re delighted to be partnering with Nickelodeon to bring M. Night Shyamalan’s vision of ‘The Last Airbender’ to the big screen and to audiences of all ages,” said John Lesher, President, Paramount Film Group.

“M. Night Shyamalan’s exciting vision for a film with the potential of ‘The Last Airbender,’ is another perfect fit for the Fourth of July holiday weekend that we have used to launch such blockbusters as ‘War of the Worlds’ and ‘Transformers,'” said Rob Moore, Vice Chairman, Paramount Pictures.

Based on the hugely successful Nickelodeon animated TV series, the live-action feature film is set in a world where human civilization is divided into four nations: Water, Earth, Air and Fire.

The Fire Nation is waging a ruthless, oppressive war against the other three nations. The film’s hero, the reluctant young Aang, is the “Last Airbender” — the Avatar who, according to prophecy, has the ability to manipulate all of the elements and bring all the nations together. Aided by a protective teenage Waterbender named Katara and her bull-headed brother Sokka, Aang proceeds on a perilous journey to restore balance to their war-torn world.